Saunders gets dual role at helm of Sealcorp and Assirt

Sealcorp’s director of investments and insurance, Caroline Saunders, has landed the job looking afterAssirt’sfunds research business in addition to her responsibilities with Sealcorp.

Sealcorp chief executive Ian Knox says her new dual role is the logical step to bridge the research business and support service for Sealcorp’s investment products.

“Caroline’s role will ensure the independent research and ratings role is maintained. It is also our desire to use Assirt research as part of the support service for investment models with Asgard. This will strengthen our expertise in this important and growing area.”

Saunders’s appointment follows the recent restructure of the Assirt and Sealcorp businesses which saw theWealthpoint Financial Servicesadviser software development business returned to the Sealcorp fold, after being separated from it when it was created after St George spun off Assirt into Bourse data, which then became Wealthpoint, in September 2000.

It will also fill the gap left by recently departed chief executive, Krystyna Weston, who departed the group to take up a role withAMP Hendersonat the end of April.

Saunders took on her current job at Sealcorp in October 2000 after being appointed associate director of financial planning and investment strategy at the company earlier that year. Prior to that, she spent a number of years working for Assirt.

Her appointment to head up Assirt’s research business follows the announcement last week that John Parrish, the group’s head of research, had resigned after just four months in the job.